Combination mount for machine guns



July 30, 1929.

J. L. HATCHER COMBINATION MOUNT FOR MACHINE GUNS Filed Dec. 17. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 30, 1929. Q HATCHER I V 1,722,$29

COMBINATION MOUNT F'OR MACHINE GUNS Filed Dec. 17, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 11- L: HaL:her

rs'rArEs 'ATENT JAMES'L. HATCHER, OF WINCHESTER, VIRGINIA.

COMBINATION MOUNT FOR MACHINE GUNS.

Application filed December 17, 1928. Serial No. 326,629.

. (GRANTED UNDER THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1883, AS AMENDED APRIL 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757.)

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The subject of this invention is a combination mount for machine guns.

In employing machine guns at low angles against ground targets, a low mount is required in order to provide stability and afford protection to the gun crew. The assignment. of the machine gun as a defense weapon against aerial targets requiring high angle firing necessitates a reconstruction of the standard infantry mount to render it capable of delivering effective fire at the auxiliary targets.

The purpose of the present invention is to reorganize the standard low mount by equipping it with an anti-aircraft adapter.

The addition of such an adapter should not alter the characteristics of the standard mount nor should it assume such dimensions or complexity as to unduly increase the weight or interfere with the normal functioning. It should be light, compact and an integral part of the mount or gun, capable 'of being conveniently moved in adjustment in a minimum t1me without unduly d1sturb-' ing the ammunition belt or requiring handling of the hot gun and, further, it must be capable of permitting the efficient direction of fire.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel arrangement and combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a mount showing the position of a gun thereon when ordinarily supported for low angle firing;

- Fig. 2 is a similar view with the gun adapted for anti-aircraft firing;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are views respectively in side elevation, plan and longitudinal section of the adapter;

Fig. 6 is a view in front elevation thereof;

Fig. 7 is a view in. rear elevation, partly shczlwn in section on the line 77 of Fig. 3; an

Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation of the standard gun before receiving the adapter.

The standard machine gun mount for low angle firing consists of a tripod 5 in whose socket isa pintle 6 which carries the cradle 7 by means of a trunnion 8.

The standard gun shown in Fig. 8 is normally mounted on the cradle by means of pins 9 and 10 shown in Fig. 1 and respectively passing through the upper end of the elevating mechanism 11 and the aligned openings 12 in the forward portion of the cradle.

The adapter which is to be provided for permitting high angle firing against aerial targets comprises a member 13 placed on the under side of the receiver 14 of the gun. Before putting it'into position, however, the rear elevating bracket 15 of the standard gun, shown in Fig. 8, and also the forward spacing members 16 thereon are removed, as the counterparts of these elements are provided on the extremities of the adapter.

The apertures which are provided in the receiver for the attaching means of the bracket 15 and spacing members 16 are utilized to receive the rear group of rivets 17 and the forward group 18 whereby. the adapter is securely fixed to the gun.

The spaced side plates 19 of the sleigh are each formed with a longitudinally extending slot 20 of suflicient width to receive the rear pin 9 which is inserted through the elevating mechanism 11. The pin 9 is provided adjacent its handle with a collar 21 formed with oblong lugs 22 on its inner side. When the pin is fully inserted to establish the connection, the lugs 22 are receivable in an annular recess 23-23, one being formed in the side plate of the adapter at each end of the slot 20. The diameter of the lugs 22 and recess 23 is greater than the width of the slot so that, when the pin is rotated to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 with the lugs 22 disposed perpendicularly with respect to the slot 20, the adapted will be incapable of movement with respect to the elevating mechanism. When the pin is rotated to present the lugs parallel to the slot 20, the adapter may be moved lengthwise of the cradle 7.

sliding movement of the un and then draw;

ing the gun to the rear until the pin 9 is brought up against the forward terminals v of the slots 20 in the adapter.

In this position the pin 9 serves as the trunnion of the gun and when turned to locking position it will restrain the gun against forward movement. This'procedure is reversed in restoring the-gun to its normal mounting for low angle firing.

I claim:

1. A mount for machine guns embodying a support, a cradle trunnioned on the support, an adapter Within the cradle, said adapter provided with longitudinal slots and with annular recesses at'the terminals of the slots, a pin connecting the forward portion of the adapter of the cradle, a pininon said last named pin engageable in the annular recesses of the adapter.

2. A mount for machine guns embodying V a support, a cradle trunnioned on the support,/an adapter formed with longitudinal guideways ,within'the cradle, means for attaching the adapter at the front and rear to the cradle, the rear attachment positioned in the guideWa-ysof the adapter and coopcrating means on the adapter and the rear attachment whereby the adapter is held against sliding movement when the front attachment is not used.

3. A mount for guns embodying a cradle, a gun adapterwithin' the cradle, a sliding connection between the adapter and the rear end ofthe cradle, means whereby said connection can be adjusted to prevent sliding movement of the. connected elements and a removable connection between the cradle and the forward part of the adapter.

JAMES L. HATCHER. 

